Thursday, November 09, 2006

Random running

The nice thing about the lack of a true 'plan' is that when I walk out the door I have no idea what direction I will run or how long or fast or hard it will be... It is the greatest feeling to just be able to run and not be concerned with the numbers (that much). I'm still a bit of a techno-running nerd when it comes to the gadgets and some of the stuff they spew out so please bear with me.



Result from today's 'random' run around town.

Out the door today around 4pm after work with the sun finally peaking out after 3 days of constant rain and wind. Ideal running temperature of about 13C (55F) with little wind so only shorts and a long sleeve shirt were needed and I could've used a t-shirt instead.

OK, I've got about 75 minutes before supper so which way? Left or right? Right it is and I'm off at a slow trot. Hmmm, too much post-work traffic here, so another right onto a deserted side road. Nice soft gravel surface but the achilles is pinging again (when will that go away?) but as usual the ache dissipates after a mile or so. Another intersection; let's go left this time. A dirt road in the woods, puddles and leaves to jump over or around. Everything smells so fresh and clean after the rain. Through the graveyard, down the hill, around the subdivision. Hey let's make this loop a maximum distance run around town without retracing any steps! But I don't have enough time to zig-zag all the downtown today. It would make a crazy untraceable running route, wouldn't it? Maybe another day. Meanwhile the pace is picking up without paying attention to it as I notice the average pace is now under 8:00/mi for the run. Darkness is now starting to fall... Should've started earlier, maybe next time.

Last mile, pace now up a bit more and I hear footsteps! What the? It's the 'other' Andrew out for an evening run and pounding hard to catch up with me. Cool, but I'm almost done my run. We continue along at the same harder pace, up a decent hill, gabbing all the way. He must be related to the 'real' Andrew! Anyway, about a mile later we peel off in different directions and I'm home just before dark after a very enjoyable random run.

Other random runs this week:

Tues - 5 easy miles after work

Weds - 7 draggy miles at lunch in the rain (volleyball in the evening Thomas!)

Today - 9 fun easy miles around town

Good running out there!

7 comments:

Andrew said...

Hello. This is the real Andrew speaking.

Glad to hear I'm not the only gabber. You never imagined someone could talk non-stop from Maine to New York did you? Except for the brief 1/2 hour I fell asleep on you. Sorry about that. Oh, and the 10 minutes Marc called on the phone to give you a break.

Got lots to say.

Are we on for 6:30 Sunday?

Thomas said...

Sounds nice. Don't hurt your achilles while playing volleyball, will you?

Phil said...

Running for the fun of it is just grand; however, I suspect that you'll set another goal for yourself soon enough and be back into a full training regime.

Olga said...

That's a lot of nice random runs, man!

Jamie Anderson said...

Runs like that are great!

DawnB said...

mike you are right. On my run today I was thinking how wonderful it is to run without a plan. I was even thinking about the title of the book. "on you own" "following your own path" or Throw the plans out the window and just RUN!!!

UMaine Cooperative Extension said...

Sounds like a nice fun run.

I am just about finished with Once a Runner, and your post reminded me of Quentin's observation that distance runners 'gab like magpies.'